Thursday, August 11, 2011

Thinking Alike?

My country is turning into something much less than “free”. In my country you are suppose to be free to think, do and say pretty much what you please (within the boundaries of the law of course). It seems, though, that there are many exceptions to this rule. To name only a few: you are not free to be Muslim; apparently the “new rule” is this: some Muslims are radical therefor all muslims must be bad. You are not free to need help to get through bad times. (Rule: there are some who take advantage of “the system” thus all help must be done away with.) You are not free to be homosexual. Oh - well - you can be homosexual, just make sure you keep it to yourself and don’t ask for any special “privileges” like marriage or equal treatment or equal protections or anything. You are not free to provide abortion services to those who need it even though it is a legal procedure. Some would like to make you think you’re free to do so, but when targeting of such providers is allowed to go unrestrained, you really are not free. You’re not really free to have an abortion either - not unless you want to be harassed as you walk into a clinic (IF you can even find a clinic!) I wish we would start making it really difficult to get ammunition. Yep, you can have your guns, but I’m not letting you buy ammo. Sort of the same thought process as “yep, you can have your right to abortions but we’re gonna target anyone who dares to provide such a service and close every clinic we can.”

Think of the many things that are changing since the Republican sweep of 2010. Union busting is suppose to be illegal, but apparently not when being done by the government. Imagine what we would have if unions died out: huge corporations run by ethically bankrupt people could require 80-hour workweeks, no vacation, no holidays, no overtime pay, and how would people fight back? Go to another job where the same thing would happen? Public television and radio are being defunded. Really? Is it too liberal? Has the right ever actually watched/listened? Or is it just another case of silencing any voice that does not think exactly like you? Planned Parenthood is being defunded. Apparently the right thinks poor women should not have access to birth control then when they get pregnant they should not have access to abortion or prenatal health services then when they have the babies, they should have to go hungry because no public assistance should be provided. Honestly, conservatives ... have you ever actually thought through the consequences of your sound bites? Or are you just swallowing the kool aid?

Public schools are not even free anymore. Every time I turn around, education funds are being cut AGAIN. Now some public schools are charging for books. BOOKS! Seriously? Please tell me how voucher programs would help improve public schools? Do you not want ALL our children to be educated? There are many people that cannot afford books and other fees piled on due to cuts in our education programs. Apparently we are not free to be poor anymore. Has the USA become a place for only the wealthy? How does this contribute to making our - OUR - country “the best”?

Scariest to me is the overt, blatant voter suppression. Have you been following the stories of new requirements for voting? A photo ID is required. Not a photo ID from a college or university (which has been accepted since Methuselah was a baby) because students tend to think liberally thus vote Democratic (this was actually said; it is not my opinion). No, your photo ID needs to be from a government agency (think DMV). Meanwhile DMV offices are being closed in heavily Democratic areas while new offices are replacing them in heavily Republican areas. This makes it almost impossible for the poor (who tend to vote Democratic) to get to the DMV. This is not a joke. This is serious. This is going on in your country - my country - as I write this. I guess if you can suppress the voting of those who would vote against “your guys”, you can win ALL the elections ALL of the time. How is this different from Hussein-era “elections” in Iraq? How is this “freedom”?

Apparently you are not free to think differently from the right anymore. The right has taken the stance that they own all elected positions, it’s their way with no compromise, and either think like them , shut up, or get out. (How many times have you seen “I want my country back” since a Democrat became President?) Someone please tell me how this is different from the Taliban? From communism? From religious extremism? Can I think whatever I want and say whatever I want just as long as I never expect to be able to have anyone representing my idea of “how ought we live” to hold office? It’s a sad time, Americans.